The lawn raking implement art is replete with efforts by inventors to devise a new and improved device for easily removing a large volume of leaves and debris from a yard. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,740 to Lee discloses a reversible rake which is adapted to be pushed across the ground or, in the alternative, turned over and pulled toward the user in a traditional raking action. The patent discloses a reversible rake comprising a handle which is connected at its lower end to a U-shaped steel element to which the raking tines are secured, and which serves as a bearing surface when the rake is pushed forwardly to collect leaves. When the rake of the invention is inverted in order to be used as a pull rake, the U-shaped surface is also inverted and does not then function as a bearing surface.
Also of interest, U.S. Pat. No. 979,346 to Skjeldrup discloses a push rake having a plurality of tines extending generally forwardly of the rake and which are secured to a cross-beam in the rear of the rake. A plurality of runners are secured beneath the rear portion of the tines in order to facilitate movement of the push rake along a ground surface. U.S. Pat. No. 323,252 to Alexander et al. discloses a lawn rake having a handle and a plurality of tines which extend through a support head carried by freely rotatable wheels at each end thereof. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 914,087 to Sutphen teaches a push rake comprising a handle secured to a cross-head element which carries a plurality of parallel, forwardly extending tines. The rake is provided with a freely rotatable roller which extends substantially across the width of the rake and is positioned behind the rake head to facilitate forward movement of the push rake.